The Government has announced this morning that the new Landlord Database will begin to be rolled out from 15 December 2026, on a region-by-region basis.
The first region to be included will be the West Midlands. The subsequent regions have not yet been confirmed, but the Government has stated that the database will be fully rolled out across all regions during 2027.
What we know so far
- Once an area is called forward for registration, landlords with properties in that region will have three months to register.
- All landlords who are actively letting property will need to be registered by 14 November 2027.
- Initially, the requirements will apply to landlords with properties that are already let, or which become occupied during the rollout period.
- Under future legislation, as the Government introduces the public-facing element of the database, landlords will also be required to register unoccupied properties before marketing them for let. Letting agents and landlords will be required to include the relevant registration number on property advertisements.
- Registration will be a legal requirement. Local authorities will have the power to issue penalties of up to £7,000 for a first offence, in accordance with the provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
- The requirements will apply to both individual private landlords and company landlords.
How will landlords register?
At this stage, the Government has not yet confirmed the exact process for registration. Previously, it has been suggested that registration may be carried out through GOV.UK One Login, which is already used to access several Government services, including HMRC, the Land Registry and Companies House. As soon as the full registration process is confirmed, and Taylored Propman has the ability to assist landlords directly with registration, we will provide further information and support. For landlords who do not have a GOV.UK One Login account, we will also establish a suitable process to ensure that they are able to complete their registration.
We will provide further updates once the Government publishes the full details of the registration process.
The Government has also announced that responsibility for dealing with challenges to rent levels — including initial rent levels and rent reviews — is to be transferred to HMRC’s Valuation Office. This is intended to reduce the pressure currently facing the First-tier Tribunal, which is experiencing significant delays, with some tenant applications taking several months before a decision is reached. Initially, the new arrangements are expected to apply to challenges relating to new tenancy rent levels, with the process subsequently being extended to rent reviews once the wider reforms have been finalised. No confirmed date has yet been announced for this change, but we expect further information in due course.
As always, Taylored Propman will continue to monitor these developments closely and keep you fully informed and protected as these changes are introduced.